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Semi Truck TrailersA trailer is to a truck tractor as a job title is to a job. The trailer defines the types of products or services that a truck and its' driver can deliver. Often, more specialized semi trailers are tickets into higher paid niche markets. Higher income as a truck driver as a truck owner... or both. An individual who develops a deeper than surface level knowledge and awareness of the specialized transportation needs of a given market niche within the economy, simply has a leg up an individual in the same market place who does not. Below is a brief overview of the primary trailers you see on the highways... but more importantly, you will see a hint of the more specialized trailers that you may want to research or to understand. Common Semi-Truck Trailer TypesBox Van Trailer
The most common truck trailer in America is the 53 foot long 102 inch wide box van. Box vans haul mostly non-perishables; packaged, boxed products, assembly parts, pallets of nearly everything. Sometimes the van carries specialized racks that will hold only one thing and the expensive rack must be returned to the point of pickup. Box type trailers are so common and universal that they are often "dropped and hooked"... drop one trailer and pick up another... as opposed to waiting for the trailer that is current attached to the truck to be loaded/unloaded. Most often the van trailer is the, legal maximum, 13'6" tall, it will feature thick oak wood floors and "full swing doors". Swing doors provide a wider and taller opening than possible than with the less common garage door type "roll up doors" - tend to be used in more specialized markets... and much more exposure to largely un-compensated damage from the shipper or receiver fork lift trucks that are constantly loading and unloading the typical box van trailer. But, a trailer with "roll-ups" may be the entry ticket into a specialty market you might uncover or develop. Usually, there are slots every few inches inside the van trailer at two or three heights where load lock pole devices can attach across the trailer walls and help secure the load in the forward most position and keeping the load from bouncing to the rear. As the box van is just that, a large movable box, an infinite number of things can be hauled or processes/purposes accomplished. The structure of the box itself acts as the primary frame component of a van trailer, so often you will see little or no long sill frame beneath the trailers floor components. The van trailers sides are usually made of aluminum panels over aluminum frames (posts &sills) with a thin plywood wall protecting the aluminum structure posts from the load. At the bottom there will be a steel rub rail, also as protection from fork truck abuse. Nearly as often trailer sides are made of FRP materials (fiberglass reinforced panels) fastened end to end. As FRP panels are thinner than (less than 1 inch wide per side) than pillar and post construction (about 3" wide per side) FRP trailers can haul a wider load and are easier to repair than post constructed trailers. FRP trailers can be heavier than Aluminum trailers and are not considered as durable. Insulated vans, Refrigerated trailers, Furniture vans, crane trailers and Enclosed Car Haulers are other examples of box van trailers adapted to specialty markets. Flat Bed TrailersThe full framed flat beds' come in several varieties, they usually haul equipment or products that can't be loaded from the rear of a trailer or a load that will simply not fit inside a box van. Often the load on a flat-bed trailer must be "tarped" by the truck driver to protect the load from the weather or possibly, prying eyes. Always, always the load on a flat bed must be secured by chains and binders or tightening devices featuring wide and thick fabric belts. The truck driver is always responsible for keeping the load tightly and securely attached to the trailer. Basic Flat BedNow days we see flats at 53 feet and 48 feet. Not so long ago, it was 45's, 42's then 40's. Often a light trailer weight is important to gain the maximum payload and in the most expensive of trailers you will see aluminum replacing steel pieces, including the main frame. Occasionally you will see flat bed trailers with big doughnut holes along the frame. That's to reduce weight. Holes, even large holes, deep in the web of the frame do not reduce the frames ability to carry weight, but a deep scratch at a hardened frames bottom edge can be the source of a ruinous crack! Some flat-beds have a bulkhead attached to the front of the trailer to protect the trucker from the load shifting into the truck cab in the case of an accident. Other times the trailer has no bulkhead and the truck tractor is protected by a bulkhead attached between the tractors' 5th wheel and the truck cab. A variation of the basic flat bed is the "Covered Wagon". The covered wagon is essentially a flat bed with removable panels along the sides and rear of the trailer. A tarp covers bows over the top giving the old time covered wagon look. Other flat bed variations include: Double drop deck (features one 20' or so deck that will haul a very heavy load 18" -20" from the ground), Single drop deck (features smaller rear tires & 40' deck (+/-) about 30" from the ground) Removable Goose Neck "RGN" trailers (the truck hookup portion of a double drop is removable, allowing equipment to be driven onto the deck from ground level ). These trailers serve more specialized markets and are variations of the flat bed concept. Other trailers
And like box vans and flatbeds, all have their issues and characteristics that enable their owners to serve a special market. If you are a CDL holder and are looking to future opportunities you might make a game of paying attention to what the highest paid CDL holders are doing, try to determine who they serve what they do that is special. Also, look, maybe ask a question or two if you can... at every unusual trailer or body type that you see. Chances are, it serves a very narrow market... but, possibly a very profitable one? ~Lynn Doctor
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Ravens "covered wagon"
Drop Deck Trailer |
